Mechanical boxer toy



Jan. 23, 1951 T. R. BERRY 2,538,744

MECHANICAL BOXER TOY Filed Feb. 3, 1949 /m/enfor Te000re E. 5er/y By his a//omeys Maw/M Patented Jan. 23, 1 951 UNITED gSTAT es mr ENT" f 'i oF FICE I Theodore R. Berry, West Orange.v N. Jl

AApplication February 3, 1949, serial No. 74,334

9 Claims. (ci. ric-:1.43).

The-presentinventionrelates to a mechanical boxer toy and-more particularly to a toy in which two mechanical boxers automatically punch one another, the blows of each boxerlanding on the body of the other.

Mechanical boxer toys' have previously ybeen known, but generally speaking these have been unrealistic in that the toy boxers did not( actually strike each other, but merely. wentthrough a series of predetermined. gyrations, which were always the same'. :l

The present invention provides a toy wheren in two mechanical boxers exchange blows, each boxer' actually hitting the other. Means are further provided'whereby the boxers are fellably supported above a base so that either boxer may be thrown down on the base .from the"effec`t of his cpponents punches. It is characteristic. of my invention that the supporting means are so constructed and arranged that the question of which boxer will be knocked down is alwaysunpredictable;

'lt is a feature of the preferred embodiment of my invention that rebound means are provided whereby a boxer may Vbe knocked down. once and regain his feet, but when knockeddown' a second time, stays down.

inthe drawings: 1 Fig l 'is a side view of a preferred formi-f my toy'," partlyin elevation, partly in vertical section, showing 'the boxers in lighting position` in solid lines,u and one boxer inrdotte'd line as he would appearrising after'bein'g .knocked down;

`Fig.j2 is a frorrt-vi`ew; partly i'n elevation, partly in vertical'section', sliowingon `a larger scale' than Fig. l, th'emechan'ism byV which'one v'of .the boxers of'my novel toyio'perates; I

lFigs. 3 and ll are fragmentary vvievlson a larger yscale than'Fig'. i, showingdetails of'my novel supporting standards for the boxers, Fig'. 3 showing the position of the parts when the boxer `is erect and Fig. 4 when he is partially down 'as in the dotted position of Fig. 1;`

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showingthe'con'- struction of a shoulder of oneof the boxers;

Fig. Sis a plan view showing the rebound spring `as used in the embodiment of my inventionshown in the drawings;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing'the details of construction of an arm 'of oneof the boxers.

As shown in Fig. 1 the preferred embodiment of my invention comprises two' combatantrmembrs or boxers i and 2 which have rigid bodies 3 and arms 4. The arms are pivotedV at the shoulders 5 and have ilexible elbows E. As shownin Fig. 5 vthe elbows 6 of each 'boxer are pivoted and a curved spring 'l ,is used tobias them to a normally bent position, The ,fists V8 may be suitably weighted so that when the arm is swung forward the inertia of thc lfist will cause the arm to straighten out against the tension of the spring 1. Y

Suitable mechanism (Fig. 2) is provided in each boxer for oscillating its arms about the shoulders 5 and thereby delivering punches to the other boxer. 'I'he mechanism may be, of the clockworktypecomprising a spring 9, and a key for winding. The spring, through gears YI i, drives a crank shaft 2 which is suitably joined to connecting rods i3. Each arm Vviis mounted :on a connecting `rod I3 which is pivotally carried'on a shoulder 5, by simple flexible strips l (Fig. 5). The kprovision of. the. flexible strips allows the arm a slight lateraliplay, adding to the `realism. o f the action.

Each boxer isfellably supported on a common base i5 by a standard l5 which extends from the crotch I? of each boxer ldownwardly through a slot i8 in the upper surface of the base. Suit able weights I 3, attached to the lower ends of the standards, give the figures stability.'

The standards are carried on ,longitudinal stringers'll which form vpart of the base'l5. The

standards have horizontal cross pins 2l which rest in notches 22p rovided in the stringers. The

' notches are made suiciently large to give 'free pinsA considerable play. and thus allow a rocking motionof the boxers on the pins.

referably the standards are made in two pieces, as shown in Figs. Sande, an upper section 23 .and a lower sectionV 213, joined by a hing-c 25 and a bladespring E L The spring is iixed,

Senegal-mp1s@ e@ inver setmana a 21 which is fitted into a` notch 2B in the-upper section. The pressure exerted by thespring tends-to keepthe two sections together by opm posing the breaking away of the upper section E@ `on the hinge 25. An adjusting yscrew 52 is threadn ed through the spring 2t and into the lower section 2d( With the screw 2g may he "combined a smallhelical tensioning spring. The screw 29 serves to vary thepressure exerted by the spring 2,6 through its beak 2l on the notch 23, thus ychanging theiresistance of the upper section 23 to breakingon the hinge 25.

' On the upper surface of the *base i5, directly be hind each boxer, are located rebound devices 3i (Figs. 1, 6).` EachV of these consists of a rather large conical springt? and a retaining pin 3S. The retaining pin has a handle 3G, a retainer 35, a stop 36 and an anchor 3'?. The retainer .serves to keep the spring in a compressed position (see device at left of Fig. l).

The operation of my novel toy is as follows:

The key l is inserted in the key-way of each boxer and the spring 9 is Wound up. The arms of the boxers proceed to swing from their shoulders so that the sts of each boxer alternately strike the other boxer.

The swinging of the arms of each boxer and the impact of the blows set both boxers rocking on the pins 2|. When the coincidence of blows is exactly right, one of the boxers will be pushed over; the question of which boxer. will fall being determined by a number of factors,

chief among them the point in. his oscillatior'i about pin 2i at which a boxer is struck-rand the force with which each spring 26 opposes breaking of the standards on hinge 25.

In the preferred embodiment here illustrated, the boxer will generally fall through the disengagement of spring 26 from its notch 28 and the breaking of standard I6 on hinge 25. Under certain conditions, however, a boxer may be knocked down without the standard I6 breaking at the hinge at all. Thus under a suitable setting of spring 26 and with the proper rhythm of blows, a boxer may fall by a simple pivotal movement on the pins 2l.

As the boxer falls he strikes -the retaining pin 33 of the rebound device located behind him. rlhis is suicient to push the retainer 35 through the upper coil of the helical spring 32 thus releasing the helical spring. Expanding suddenly, the spring v32 pushes the boxer back with sufficient force to snap the beak 21 of the spring 25 into its original position in notch '28 and the contest continues. The boxer at the right in Fig. l is rising after such a fall. If the same fighter is knocked down a second time, the spring 32, having already been released, will not return him with suicient force to `cause the spring 26 to reengage with notch 28 and thus the fighter can be said to have been knocked out. If it is desired that this ghter be given a greater chance to resist a knock down, the adjusting -screw l253 on his spring is withdrawn a suitable distance. If desired the adjusting screw on the other ghter is screwed down somewhat. By such manipulations the resistance of both lighters can be varied over a wide range and the result of any contest Awill always be uncertain.

When it is desired to reset the rebound devices 6l, the retaining pin 33 is grasped by the handle 345 and pulled up through the spring 3'2, the retainer 35 slipping through the notch 38 on the upper coil of that spring. The pin 33 is then rotated until the retainer no longer matches with the notches 38. The contact between the retainer 35 and the spring 32 is then strong enough to resist the expansion of the spring but yet not strong enough to prevent a boxer when falling over from knocking .the pin through the upper coil of the spring.

The boxers may be moved nearer to one another or farther apart, thus simulating either iniighting or sparring, by shifting the pins 2| to the appropriate notches of the stringers 2D.

Various modiiications of the toy are, of course, possible without departing from the spirit of my invention. Thus, for example, the weights l on the bottom of the standards may be dispensed with and instead of the'long slot i8 .a series of sockets may be provided for the standards i6. In such an embodiment there is little or no rocking of the sort described in connection with the preferred embodiment, and the boxers fall only when the standards I6 break on hinges 25.

Still another modiiication envisages elimination of hinge 25 and spring 26 and the construction .of the standard i6 in one piece. In such an embodiment the boxers would fall only -through pivoting on pins 2l. To add to the uncertainty of the result the weights I9 may be made movable up and down the standards, thusipermitting the center of gravity of the boxers to be shifted and their stability Varied.

Furthermora'while the arms 4 are shown with bent and flexible elbows, it is possible for them to have straight arms or rigid elbows. It is also lpossible to have the .knees of the Alighters flexible to some degree or to have them ypermanently bent.

As will readily be appreciated, various types of mechanisms can be used to drive the arms of the fighters. A plurality fof gear ratios may kbe provided so'that the relative speeds `of iightving can be changed.

it is withinthe scope of my invention to provvide a constant rebound mechanism :so that Vthe fighters are thrown back every time that they are knocked down;

What Iclaim is:

1. Boxer toy comprising two simulated combatant members having arms .pivotally vattached thereto, power mechanismiincluding a motor, for oscillating said arms and thereby causing said members to strike :one another, .a base, standards fellably supporting said members on said base, whereby a combatant member may be thrown down onto .said base from the blows struck by the other, and automatic rebound means for immediately restoring a fallen combatant member to his original position.

2. A boxer toy comprising two simulated combatant members having arms pivotally attached thereto, a base, foldable standards supporting said members on said base, power mechanism including `a motor, for oscillating said arms whereby said combatant members may be made to strike at each other, and automatic rebound means for immediately restoring a fallen combatant member to his A'original position.

V3. A boxer toy as claimed'in claim 2 wherein n said ibase comprises two longitudinal stringers,

each having a plurality of notches at intervals along its length and a slot between said stringers adapted to receive Isaid standards, and wherein 'each of said standards has a cross-pin adapted 3 to rest loosely in the notches of said stringers whereby said combatant members may be rockably supported -in a plurality of positions on said base and the distance between said combatant members may be varied.

4. A boxer toy as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said standards comprises an upper section and a lower section, a hinge pivotably ljoining said sections, a at spring fixed to oneof said sections and having a beak at the other end, a notch in the other vsection adapted to Y than the inside diameter of the uppermost coil of said spring, the diierence between said length and said diameter being suicient to keep said spring compressed by friction but insuicient to retain said spring when said pin is struck down- Wardly by a falling combatant member, whereby when such falling combatant member strikes said pin said spring will expand and return said combatant member to his original position.

6. A boxer toyv comprising two simulated ccm batant members having arms pivotally attached thereto, a base, foldable standards supporting said members on said base, power mechanism for oscillating said arms whereby said combatant members may be made to strike at each other, and automatic single acting rebound means for immediately restoring a fallen combatant member to his original position upon yhis rst fall but not thereafter.

7. A boxer toy comprising two simulated combatant members having arms pivotally attached thereto, a base, foldable standards supporting said members on said base, power mechanism including a motor, for oscillating said arms whereby said combatant members may be made to strike at each other, automatic rebound means for immediately restoring a fallen combatant member to his original position and means for Varying the resistance of said standards to folding whereby the resistance of each combatant member to being struck down by the other member may be Varied.

8. A boxer toy comprising two simulated combatant'members having arms pivotally attached thereto, a base, foldable standards supporting said members on said base, power mechanism including a motor, for oscillating said arms whereby said combatant members may be made to strike at each other, and automatic rebound means for immediately restoring a fallen combatant member to his original position, said rebound means comprising a conical spring located behind each of said combatant members and means for retaining said springs in compression, said retaining means being adapted to release said springs upon contact with a falling member.

9. A boxer toy comprising two simulated combatant members having arms pivotally attached thereto, a base, foldable standards supporting said members on said base, means for varying the resistance of said standards to folding, power mechanism including a motor, for oscillating said arms whereby said combatant members may be made to strike at each other and rebound means for restoring a fallen combatant member to his original position, said rebound means comprising a conical spring located behind each of said combatant members and means for retaining said springs in compression, said retaining means being adapted to release said springs upon contact with a falling member.\

THEODORE R. BERRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,771,243 Berger July 22, 1930 1,812,930 Chester July 7, 1931 1,824,790 Peterson Sept. 29, 1931 2,435,141 Kooi` Jan. 27, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 162,432 Great Britain May 5, 1921 

